The aftershocks of the Las Vegas shooting continue to be felt. In the sports event planning world, that translates into new action plans for security in an attempt to be even more proactive and vigilant. Unfortunately, most of the country's 140 major sports stadiums are far from secure.

There are a lot of reasons to visit Owensboro, nestled on a scenic bend of the Ohio River in western Kentucky. Music fans are attracted to the area's ties to the roots of bluegrass, including the many festivals held every year, along with the unique International Bluegrass Music Museum. If you're a fan of barbecue, there's the world-famous International Bar-B-Q Festival and Owensboro's signature barbecued mutton and burgoo. More importantly, though, if you're a sports fan, there's the fact that Owensboro, the state's fourth-largest city, was picked by Sports Illustrated magazine as its "No. 1 Sportstown" in Kentucky. This city has venues for soccer, softball, tennis, football, ice hockey and figure skating, golf and so much more.

Drive through any small town in Texas on a Friday night and you'll find the local football stadium is a hub of excitement. Odessa is like that (after all, this is the origin of Friday Night Lights), but also holds the claim of being a hub for almost any sport. Discover Odessa, its first-class facilities and its warm welcome.

As Northern California's Wine Country continued to burn, event organizers ranging from golf club owners to high school athletic directors were forced to act fast. Some events were cancelled, some rescheduled and some relocated - but in all cases, the disaster had a profound effect. Here's a round-up

Has an overabundance of overly expensive private youth soccer programs stifled talent and led to lower-quality U.S. players? That theory continues to surface in the wake of the USMNT failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. Event owners need to know about the latest criticism.

Want irony? The IOC has it. Innsbruck (who previously stepped in to host the 1976 Olympics following the first-ever referendum from the U.S.) just had to back away from the 2026 bargaining table thanks to its own referendum. And guess who's now back in contention to host? The U.S.

When USA Triathlon announced Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, as the latest school in the nation to add a varsity women's triathlon program, it should have made event planners and destinations sit up and take notice. Why? Because it's a trend that is picking up speed.

And you thought bottled water was going to be hard to come by. The aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey has created something most people never even considered: a shortage of rental cars. And it's something sports event organizers need to be thinking about throughout this fall.

Everyone has heard the promises: cricket is coming to national prominence in the U.S. But it has been 10 years since the $10 million cricket-specific taxpayer-funded stadium opened in Lauderhill, Florida, and since that time, it has become more multi-purpose in nature. Still, there are signs of growth.

As a sports travel market, cheer is huge, with areas of special interest continuing to emerge. Meet the organization with not only national championships, regional and state competitions, but clinics, camps and coaching programs. The Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders even has a hashtag: #FCCForLife, a symbol of its ongoing success.

The Warrior World Series of Youth Lacrosse sees U13 boys lacrosse teams competing in regionals, with the top teams advancing to the Championship Round in Denver, CO, on July 2-4, 2018 | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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Read the latest issue of Sports Destination Management

September/October 2017

The September/October issue of SDM has everything you need to hit the ground running. Where else will you find comprehensive information on venue negotiations, long-term contracts, ground transportation and the all-important topic of event security? Not only that, but you'll find outstanding information on facilities for tennis, gymnastics and open water sports. What else? Our Industry Leadership section, highlighting some outstanding venues around the U.S. If your event is looking for a new home base, you're sure to find one here. Happy reading.

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